*This is an update and a sequel on my previous story "Professor?" (Found Here http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/fo...d.php?t=100548 ) Following the exploits of those characters and adding in some new ones. I hope to work on it frequently and I think it will be a lot of fun.*

The DC Life
by exjock

Prologue

It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. Sandra Brooks thought as she ran the numbers for what seemed to be like the millionth time. It was 11pm on a Saturday night and she had wanted to go out to mingle with the political crowd. Instead she was stuck in her office building with her boss Jack Howard. At least there’s pizza as long as he didn’t eat the whole box!

Chapter 1

Jack Howard looked out from his office window, gazing at the DC skyline. It was the winter of 2017 and he had accomplished what many thought was impossible...Donald Trump was president. How much did Jack have to do with this? Some said he was the architect in the shadows, others said he just pounced on an opportunity but regardless, he was high on the hog and loving it.

“Stacy, can you give Ryan a call and tell him to get off his butt and do something about this repeal and replace nonsense. Tell him if he wants to meet, I’m free for lunch, I don’t care where but make sure it’s at one of my approved places, he ruins the meal if he picks the place, thanks.” Jack sighed as he hung up the phone.

Folding his hands on his stomach, he looked down and noticed that’s all he could see. Fatter than Chris Christie now geez. If the old team could see me now Of course they could see him now, in fact a quick google search of his name would bring up all sorts of articles, postings and pictures of him, Jack Howard was not semi-famous in the political scene and a rock star for those in the know.

But this fame also brought with it a price, scrutiny and being on the team of one such as President Trump, scrutiny happened a lot more often than was desirable.

“Trump Fat Shamed Miss Universe, What does he tell Howard?” “Trump Denies Fat Shaming, says He even Employs Heavy People”. That second one had brought with it a picture of a campaign rally where Jack, at 301lbs, was standing next to the then presidential candidate, clapping. Campaigns were hard on waistlines, even getting Trump to work out consistently was a challenge, but stress, take out food and local cuisine put on pounds fast.

“At least Melania and Ivanka get it.” He chuckled to himself. He was brought out of his thoughts with a knock on his office door.

“Hey boss!” Caitlin Starr exclaimed.

“Caitlin, you don’t have to call me that anymore, you’ve got people calling you that now.” Jack said.

“You’ll always be the boss to me...whoa buddy!” She had walked over and sank a well manicured finger into Jack’s bulging midsection. “I know I lost a ton of weight but I didn’t think you would find all of it! Weren’t you and Annie dieting?” Caitlin said, unable to contain her thoughts.

Jack stood up to brush the donut crumbs off of his shirt. He was supposed to be dieting...it was not going as well as he had thought. Caitlin was looking smart in a sleeveless women’s suit. It showed off her now toned arms after a couple years of crossfit and moving to a city where who you slept with mattered. Her soft curves were gone, worked into tight hips and thighs while maintaining an ass. The belly had flattened and she looked like she could be in the Olympics for an event like bobsled or sprinting. Her face had also lost its softness and she was many a politician’s dream now, although she was no longer a “get drunk and sleep with someone” sort of woman. If she was going to drink, it was a diet coke and rum or something else light, beer was too many calories she had explained one happy hour.

Standing in Jack’s office, the two could not be a more odd couple at the moment.

“It’s going alright.” Jack lied as he shook her hand.

“Well a few months of crossfit and at least we’d have you back down to Cleveland Jack, a year and maybe we’d be back down to entry level employee Jack.” She winked. He didn’t mind the banter, Cait had known him from his first job with the party and had watched him rise, he had helped her and she was a loyal worker, something that did not come by a lot working in politics. She had proved to be invaluable in DC and Jack loved that she was making a career out of it herself.

“Yeah well, if I had the time I would. Being an advisor without looking like an advisor takes a lot of it up.” He said.

“I know but you won’t be a boy wonder forever, in fact, I’d say some of that gut might be from that late 20s spread.” She patted his stomach again. “Remember how big I used to be?”

“Yes...yes, I get it...could we-”

“And Annie isn’t getting any smaller either ya know, you guys came back from that campaign with more than votes.” She interjected.

“Alright! Jesus Cait, are you my fitness mom? Let’s get down to some business.” Jack said, steering the conversation back.

“Aye aye Captain.” Caitlin responded with one more wink. She definitely winked a lot more now. He thought.

“We need some help in the press, the dems have a full court press on with all of our nominations, even the one’s that have been nominated. Could you talk your girl into running interference to get them off of the White House’s back?” Jack explained.

“I can try, but she’s trying to gear up for either governor or a run at a senate seat, we think Williams might retire and she doesn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize that.” Caitlin said.

“I know, I get it, tell her it will be worth her while if she can.” Jack offered.

“I will, you know you’d have a little bit more time for your health if you weren’t putting out all these fires.” Caitlin said in a hushed tone.

Jack looked at her in the eye. Don’t I know it. “Just please work on this for us. It’s bigger than all of that.” He said.

She sighed. “Anything for you boss, you got me to where I am today. Do try to lay off some of the donuts though, even Sandra’s looking a bit thicker working in this office.”

She left. Jack sat down heavily in his chair. He pondered for a moment...I made a deal with the devil and now I’m trying to make it all work out, she’s right. He sat back, losing himself in his thoughts once more.

Annie pushed like she had never pushed before. “Ugh!!!” she yelled as she did one more rep on the leg lift. Sweat glistened on her face as she finished.

“You got it girl.” Sandra said. “We’ll have you back to your fighting weight in no time.”

Annie got up off of the machine, legs wobbling a bit from the exertion. Her yoga pants showed off a drerier that was soft and smooth in the fabric. Hips flared out and a modest pot belly arched forward in front of her despite the looser fit of her tank top. Anne Hankins was fighting a war with herself. On one side was the absolute pleasure she had from watching her boyfriend Jack Howard grow to become a hefty political puppet master. She’d always been attracted to his instinctual mind but paired with that was a fat body now. Jack’s eating had gained him that body and she had a front row seat, she had helped create the man she loved now.

The other side of the conflict however was her own body. Despite keeping a lithe and fit form for most of her life, the past three years had watched her change dramatically. Pools were hard to come by on the campaign trail and with being Jack’s partner through so many events, she went back to hotels often too tired to do much of anything except feed Jack, eat and sleep, sometimes with sex in between. The result had been her blowing up from a normal sized 158lb curvy woman in Cleveland to a 195lb chubby body. Anne had resolved to get back into shape for the hundredth time after victory in the 2016 election but working out as a heavier woman was more difficult than she had ever given it credit for.

The day of the Inauguration she had been paralyzed by the fact that none of her clothes fit. She lost it in front of the mirror, wearing just her bra and panties, she saw the wider body, how big and round her hips had grown, how little muscle showed through, the pot belly, the big flabby arms. She looked like a kindergarten teacher who had just had 2 kids in two years and she was not happy about it.

Desperate times had called for desperate measures and she enlisted a nemesis for help. Sandra Brooks had been what Annie considered a threat since she had joined forces with Jack in 2014. She could not deny that the two (and three if you counted Annie) were a potent group. Three sharp political minds, all with different gifts and talents. Jack had vision and an ability to make a tough decision at the right time. His team sport background helped him greatly with this, a short-term loss did not matter, only winning the whole game. Anne Hankins understood strategy and how to achieve said victory, she just needed it steered in the right direction to go to work. She was not officially part of anything, but she clearly had Jack’s ear and was more than an advisor to him. Sandra did the dirty work. If it were a hockey team, she was the enforcer that talked trash.

Sandra was dangerous but effective. Cougar looks paired with a cold as ice ability to twist the metaphorical dagger. Opponents had been eliminated by scandal. A leaked picture here, e-mails sent to a reporter with an ax to grind or playing to the extreme fears of supporters were all tools she had used. Her win at all costs mentality only rivaled Jack’s, but what made her dangerous was a total disregard for conventional rules. Sandra wrote her own.

Much to Anne’s chagrin, if none of the above tactics were working, she still had the body any Hollywood actress would envy and in a very white male dominated party, that was worth its weight in gold. Her nickname had become the snake charmer because Sandra Brooks could walk into any room and come out with whatever she needed.

To call what they had a “professional rivalry” was putting it lightly. Anne was a college professor, she was from the establishment, she believed in the rules of engagement and sought to work within them to achieve goals. The end of her objectives were all neatly wrapped with bows. Sandra dropped atomic bombs and didn’t pick up the pieces. She did not care for the perception of things, only the results and being a manipulative bitch was something she relished.

The past two years had been a personal war for Annie with her body and relationship but also a professional one with Sandra. And her weight was constantly disarming her in the verbal jousting. But Inauguration day, at Anne’s lowest point had also showed a chink in the Sandra Brooks armor. Because she also was a woman afterall and every women has insecurities, even one as self-confident as Sandra. You see the common denominator between both was Jack Howard and when people work close with someone who has no control over his appetite, they begin to exhibit some similar characteristics.

The change had been gradual but sexy professional outfits that often immediately disarmed political friends and opponents alike had slowly given way to looser fitting garments. What used to be a tight dress or power suit that showed off her envious figure, had turned to a sweater or jacket covering things Sandra did not want seen.

Annie had been slow to see it but she was not the only one on Inauguration Day struggling to fit into clothes she had wanted to feel and look good in. With nowhere to hide and an ego that refused to admit that perhaps a 34 year old body was harder to maintain while flooding it with extra calories, Sandra had showed up in a gorgeous gown, that perhaps fit perfectly 10lbs ago. There had been a slight jiggle with each step on her waist and her arms had softened up.

Annie had been blind to it for months but she saw an in-road that day where she thought she might both do herself some good and ensure that Sandra was brought down a peg or two. Unfortunately, the hardest part of the plan to achieve was why they were working out together for the third time this week in March.

“You know, I hate how quickly you change personalities, there’s no need to scam me, I know what you really want to say.” Anne said as she rubbed down some of the soreness her thighs were feeling.

Sandra’s eyes narrowed but she flashed a beauty queen smile. She spoke in a low voice that only Annie could hear.

“Just trying to make things a little easier honey, but if you want the claws to come out, fair enough. I’m impressed you did 5 reps at 170 but if you want to lose that dumpy Hillary ass then you’ll have to do better. You’re legs should be stronger at this point, especially with carrying around all that weight now for what? Three year now? Truth be told I’m always a little amazed you can fit your fat ass into those leggings, you look like you are stretching every bit of the elastic. And don’t think the tank top hides much, the bulge of your belly is all too noticeable. Quite frankly, the more impressive thing then five reps at your size and fitness level is the fact you are here at all when your body seems to be screaming for those chocolate angels Jack can’t say no to. Is that enough of the real deal or do you want me to go on?”

Anne’s faced had reddened but she was truthfully too tired to amount much of a comeback.

“Now step aside and I’ll show you how it’s done.” The snake charmer took her seat and did 12 quick reps before slowing down for the last three, 15 in all. While this was much better than what Annie could muster, she also delighted in seeing Sandra’s tummy roll eek out ever so slightly as she continued to prove that she was the fit one.

“You know, I don’t remember seeing that the past few years, cocktails starting to add up or just not as much sex as you were used to in your younger days?” Annie replied as she gave Sandra’s roll a poke.

Sandra looked up sharply. Before Annie knew it, Sandra had by the arm and was marching her towards the wall mirror.

“I think you need a bit of a lesson in manners.” She said icily.

“Here’s the deal, you do my every movement, it will be a mix of several exercises and failure to accomplish them means that you need to do a lap in the pool for each one you can’t. Should be easy for a collegiate swimmer right? Let’s get started.” She smacked Annie’s belly and Anne felt it ripple.

Ouch, I seem to have poked the bear

“High knees!” Sandra shouted as she started the stopwatch on her wrist.

Annie dutifully followed directions and after 20 seconds, had sweat dripping down her forehead.

“Burpees...GO!” Sandra said, there was no hint of being out of breath whatsoever as she threw herself down and executed several burpees in perfect form.

After two, Anne was using her knees to get up off the ground and sweat was falling off of her face to the ground. Her arms now also felt like jello and she was more than aware of her body wobbling for everyone at the gym to see. Out of breath but determined not to let Sandra win this battle, she struggled to complete four in thirty seconds.

“Was that giving up I saw for the last five seconds?” Sandra asked as she completed her 10th in succession.

“A bit hard with all this chub huh?” She asked as she patted Annie’s belly once more.

At least she seems a little hard of breath now Anne thought to herself. She was struggling, no doubt about it but she had an athletic pride that would not let get give up just yet.

“Speedskaters, NOW!” Sandra yelled.

The exercise that emulated the speedskater movement required a hard step side to side as Annie and Sandra pumped their arms.

With each plod of the foot, Annie felt her cheeks jiggle as the force rippled through her whole body. After about 10 seconds, she had had enough. She stood up straight, hands on her hips and gasping for breath.

“Come on Anne! That belly isn’t going to burn off itself, why you giving up?” Sandra goaded her as she completed her 30 seconds, finally showing a little bit of sweat on her face.

“Jumping jacks hun, should be easy.” She teased as she immediately went into a frenzy of the gym class favorite.

11 was a stretch but Annie once again gave up after about 10 seconds as Sandra said “That’s two.”

“You did what? 10 before you gave up? I just did 40 in 30 seconds, what’s holding you back Annie?” Sandra exclaimed as she said F you with her eyes.

“You have a minute for a break, although you’ve already taken a few. We have four more of these circuits to complete before we are done. Any other comments about my body before we continue?” Sandra asked with a gesture. She showed off her thigh gap which annoyingly had stayed there. 10lbs heavier for Sandra still made her a 9.75 at the very least, especially considering her age.

Four more is going to suck, I need to be smarter next time.

When all was said and done, Annie owed 15 laps at the completion of the fifth circuit. Her numbers had slowly gone down as her heart rate increased, her arms and shoulders ached from the burpees, her calves were on fire from the high knees and she felt her loose tank top ride up over her well fleshed out middle and was simply too tired to pull it down.

A silver lining was seeing that by the fourth circuit, Sandra had also slowed down considerably although she definitely outclassed Annie in terms of exercise results.

Sweat glistened on Sandra as she completed the fifth circuit, out of breath and breathing hard, with a crazed look in her eyes she had to complete the difficult round.

“Looks…*breath* like I get to watch 15 laps…*breath* fat ass.” Sandra said.

Hands over her head to get the maximum amount of oxygen into her lungs, Annie waited a minute before responding.

“Unfortunately, I think I forgot my...bathing suit.” She said with a grin.

Sandra, hands on her knees, flipped her head up, knocking the hair out of her face.

“Oh really? Was that the goal? Put me through the paces knowing full well you didn’t have a swimsuit with you. I’m sure you couldn’t even fit whatever you bought last summer to lie to yourself about getting back into the pool. Luckily, the snake charmer is prepared.” Sandra said with a cheshire grin.

Leading her into the locker room, Sandra opened up her bag and pulled out a larger striped number, horizontal of course. Annie frowned, her ace up her sleeve going away.

“I thought at some point you might try to pull something like that, so I made sure I was stocked up with something. Oh no, this is one I have if you are on good behavior, your performance today I think warrants this one.”

Anne’s eyes widened as Sandra pulled out a two piece built for a large woman.

Shit Annie thought.

“Let’s get our suits on, see how you look, I could use sometime in the hot tub while you work on your old skills. Three time all conference if I remember correctly? My my you don’t look like it now if I can say so. Most swimmers don’t have quite so large uhh well everything.” Sandra said with a smile.

She coaxed Annie into taking off her clothes as they both got ready. “Ass dimples too Annie, really?! I knew you were letting yourself go but come on.”

They stood there naked as Annie noted Sandra’s flawlessly skin although much paler than her usual tanned self. Her stomach was flat but not toned as she had a slight pooch now and her sides had rented out space to small love handles.

Standing next to her though, there was little Annie could say about anyone’s body now. Her breasts fell heavily onto her pot belly with thick thighs that were clearly well acquainted with one another. Sandra had bought the correct size, at some point Annie was going to figure out how Sandra could find out so much information about her while she knew so little about her other than she was some former high school queen bee from the Cleveland suburbs. She made a mental note to ask Caitlin more about Sandra to at least get on the right path.

Suits donned, Sandra led them both out where the few people at the pool stared at the odd couple. A small, attractive woman in a bikini that perfectly fit her body walking out with a larger woman, still pretty but jiggling with every step.

“You owe me 15 laps, I will be over there soaking in the heat. After 15, you can join me and we will talk about how well you’ve been doing.” Sandra said as she smacked Annie’s ass.

Annie hopped into the pool quickly. Show’s over assholes. She thought. She swam a bit, to get herself used to the water and then trudged on with her first lap, negatively thinking about how much more effort it took to move her body through the water.

She had halfheartedly attempted to get some pool time in, it was a great work out and she thought it was something she excelled at but her body now had limitations. She struggled through four laps, pausing to catch her breath.

“No no no Annie! Gotta keep up the workout with no breaks! You took those during our circuits remember?” Sandra said laughing.

Annie forced her way up to 8 laps before needing another break. Her pace had slowed and her muscles screamed in opposition. She tried to keep her head below the edge of the pool so Sandra could not see her. But of course she heard the annoying voice once more ringing out for everyone to hear.

“That’s only eight babe! Can’t fake out exercise, if you want to lose some pounds you gotta work at it!” Feigning support for the public while Annie knew the truth. The knife was sinking in deeper.

Going extremely slow, she forced out the final seven laps. As she came up for breath, completing the final lap she was greeted by the bikini-clad Sandra standing over her.

“Way to push yourself chubs, but I hope you remember next time who’s the boss in this little arrangement.” She said acidly.

Too tired to say anything, Annie heaved herself out of the pool up the ladder. She sat for a minute, catching her breath as her belly heaved up and down with the heavy breathing. She hefted it sitting there as she saw the angry folds and large bulge protude out.

This better be worth it at the end of the day. She cursed to herself silently at how she had underestimated A) how out of shape she really was B) Sandra’s own fitness level and C) Sandra’s drive to get even and win with anyone.

She worked herself up, defeated and slowly walked to the door to the main lobby.

Annie kept walking, trying to ignore the stares and the jiggling of her body. She had one more card yet to play and it was going to take embracing her appetite and curves today.

Making her way to the snack bar by way of her purse in the locker room, she bought two cokes and two bags of chips. Walking back to the pool area, she kept her slow and defeated pace and made her way to the hot tub.

“What’s all that?” Sandra said.

“I just wanted to apologize, I shouldn’t have criticized you.” Annie said ashamed. “You owned me today and I have to admit I needed a butt whooping like that. I can’t believe I’ve let myself get so big so to make amends and thank you for it, I bought the coke and chips, it’s all they really had.” Annie lied.

Sandra looked taken aback. “Well...thank you.” she said surprised as she greedily took the coke and got out of the hot tub. They sat in two chairs and chatted for a bit.

Looks like she’s taken the bait. Annie thought while maintaining her shamed look.

The little belly roll that formed as Sandra sat down was hopefully going to get bigger. They talked about Annie’s diet, the need for more work outs in the week and the biggest elephant in the room, her boyfriend Jack.

“You know, I know about you two, I know you like your men big and probably have some deep-seeded desire yourself to be larger. I think the fact your body has taken to the extra weight pretty easily is a testament to that.” Sandra said, motioning in a big arch to show how round Anne was now.

“But you are paying me in many ways by the time we are done and as you said a couple months ago, I too have gained a little bit of weight that needs to be taken care of.” She now motioned to her own small roll.

“I am a lot of things Anne but most would be surprised that I am a woman of my word. I am going to keep our deal and work you out like a drill sergeant to lose that gut. However, no amount of working out will be able to undo the appetite you have, especially when you are with Jack. I know I sound like a bitch but facts are facts.” she said matter of factly.

“So how are we going to get you to control your sexual impulse to fatten him up while also stopping yourself from engaging in it?” Sandra asked innocently.

I have no idea Annie thought to herself but also saw that Sandra’s bag of doritos had disappeared and was now empty.

Amazing story so far!
Sandra talking about her growing chub is so hot! Sandra gaining more weight would be awesome!

Looks like Annie is on the right path. This is a cliffhanger. Annie might ask Caitlin about Sandraís favorite foods and weeknesses and figure out resourceful ways to take advantage of themÖ
I wonder if Sandra, in denial of her own gain, will gobble up Annieís food to help her lose weight Ė and thus succumb to her latent love for food and gormadizing.

I felt like it was unfinished. Was I wrong? I liked Professor? And I like this too. Although I truly don't care about the guy as much as all three women. Looking forward to seeing more.

There was definitely a door open to return to it, its fun when its political because there is just so much there to exploit. Looking at the different personalities and how they adapt or react to evolving bodies is really what makes the story tick I believe. It is now just re-visiting them a couple years later and they are all on a trajectory of change, we will see where I want to go with it.

“Hey babe.” Jack said as he walked in the door after another long day at the office. He had a box of pizza, wings and a six pack of beer.

“I got dinner for us, hope you don’t mind.” Jack said as he walked in and put the things down on the table.

“Aw Jack, pizza again?” Annie said with a frown.

“It’s Dellucci’s! Only the best for for my best.” He said cheerfully.

He kissed her on the lips as she felt is larger belly press into her body. It was getting harder and harder for him to lean over to do that.

“I know but, we are supposed to be dieting, I got my ass kicked at the gym today and this will ruin it.” Anne said, pulling away and holding her arms up in her work out outfit.

Jack surveyed the body of the woman he loved. Older then him by about 8 years, when they had met Annie was the picture of perfect fitness, late 20s and a career woman, she practically had students like him drooling over her pencil skirts and smart attire. When she wore the librarian glasses he could not take her eyes off of her and he loved if he happened to see her when she was on her campus jogs, which used to be frequent. Jackpot if she was doing her swim laps when he was in the rec center.

The attraction had been quite mutual, it was not just predicated on their looks. Annie and Jack fell in love with each other’s minds as much as they did with their bodies. Anne would be the first to admit Jack had the cutest face any college student had in her time teaching but that she had always harbored some feelings toward his body changing to the thicker side of things and was delighted to see that three years post graduation had added a significant amount of weight to his frame when they re-connected at the GOP convention in Tampa in 2012.

Still in the intervening years the two people in their apartment’s living room looked nothing like they did when they had first met.

Jack saw the round and flabby arms, the prominent belly and larger chest. Her inner thighs had become such fast friends that they were never apart now and her ass rounded out everything literally. Her hair was tied up in a bun with a sexy lock coming down over face and eyes, he could always be entranced by just one of her looks because of those eyes.

She had grown heavy but Jack did not mind too much. True, before this Jack had never been with a woman that weighed more than 140lbs, his preferences when younger had been trending to the athletic but curvy side although he had to admit he loved curvy now. And besides, Annie plumping up had allowed his own appetite to grow which in a stressful job was important he thought.

Anne gazed at her own lover, wearing a suit that was probably a size too small, a coat that had no prayer of buttoning over a beer gut so large and vast that it strained the buttons of his dress shirt. She noticed a splotch of pizza sauce which indicated that he had already delved into some of the pizza that smelled oh so good right now.

For a guy, Jack had quite an ass now too. His stomach was by far the area where most of his fat had settled but there were other additions as well. His legs and thighs had thickened, he had calve muscles you would have expected to be on a speedskater. His chest now drooped from the added weight to his man breasts and his face was showing what might be a third chin forming.

Jack could only be described as fat now and he seemed to be a runaway train between Annie’s love of it, his job and his own acceptance of his new body. When she had approached him about a diet, he looked afraid. He said it was because he thought perhaps he had grown too unattractive for her (as if that could be possible at his current size!) but she expected he loved his new habits and lifestyle and did not want to change.

“You look stronger you know, definitely pumped some iron I think Annie.” Jack said as he gave her bicep a pinch.

She recoiled a bit but saw the smile. He definitely loves me for me and doesn’t mind the chub

“Yeah well, regardless, some of it needs to go and pizza won’t help.” She replied.

Annie opened the pizza box and saw four slices missing from the pepperoni.

“Looks like you worked out the jaw muscles my love! Or does the movement up from the car seat count as curls too?” She teased as she pinched his waist.

“Hey now, I need the energy to keep going, kind of a 24/7 job these days.” He said as he leaned in for another kiss.

She began to feel her emotions stir as she felt his arms work there way down her back and grab her love handles, of course she was grabbing his flabby sides as well. Diet isn’t going well for either of us.

“You know, before this gets too far away from us, I do want some dinner.” Annie said as she pulled away.

“Even if it’s not good for the diet?” Jack teased and smacked her butt.

“Don’t go there mister.” She said. “It wasn’t the best day at the gym.”

“Aw, everything ok?” Jack said.

Anne bit her tongue a bit. Obviously she couldn’t hide the fact she was trying to lose some weight but he still didn’t know she had enlisted help from Sandra. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t tell him that, perhaps just from her own pride and vanity but in her head the decision had been made.

“I just hate all those skinny bitches that I used to look like, work out less hard than me and still look great, I watched one of them eat a whole bag of doritos while wearing a little bikini!” She said. At least it wasn’t a complete lie.

“Hey hun, I know you want to change the election campaign was difficult on both of our waists, but you know I love you at any size.” Jack said, trying to make her feel better.

He ran his hands across her face. She loved when he did that. She was about to lean in for another kiss when his hands went down and settled on her pillowly belly.

Anne raised up abruptly. She whipped off her tank top and threw it to the ground in disgust. Standing there in just her sports bra and leggings, she grabbed his hands and forced them away.

“Jack, look at me. Look at how I’ve changed. Look at this gut.” She grabbed her belly with both hands and shook it. “Look at my arms.” She waved her hands in the air, getting the full bingo wing effect. “Look at my fat thighs.” She turned her hip to the side and swayed them, her whole body quivered with the motion.

Jack saw the angry red stretch marks all over her waist and the plump love handles he had so lovingly grabbed just a minute ago. She was wider and her face was rounder, thankfully something she did not point out. He hated when she was like this.

“You know I think you are beautiful-” He tried but she cut him off.

“Yes I know! I get it, you are too perfect but I’m so sick and tired of struggling to get my clothes on or being out of breath walking or people giving me a once over when I know they are thinking ‘she gained some more weight.’ Ugh Jack! I just, I don’t know.” She finished her tirade, the smell of pizza still lingering in the air.

She felt a lurch in her stomach. She really hadn’t eaten much that day and it was a few hours since the chips. Without missing a beat she walked over and took to slices of pizza and began to eat.

Jack let out a breath. Phew When Anne wanted to eat healthy, Jack had to eat healthy and it looks like her stomach had won out over her emotions that day. Plus four slices of pizza was not enough for a man of Jack’s size.

“You know babe, you still look pretty skinny next to me.” Jack said as he unbuttoned his own shirt.

She laughed at that and saw as he took off his dress shirt, his white undershirt had ridden up to show off his large pale belly hanging over his waist by a good 9 or 10 inches.

“Those black pants are on their last legs I think, looks like they barely stay buttoned.” She said as he walked over to her, taking off his undershirt.

“But you said black was slimming I thought.” He said with a wink.

“Oh Jack ha ha, I’m not so sure anything is slimming for you anymore.” She offered him a slice of pizza.

“I’ll make sure I eat most of this tonight, can’t have you going too far off the diet.” He said as he took it.

An hour later the boxes were empty and they were laying in bed together naked, her hand on the spherical orb that was now Jack’s belly.

My God he gets bigger every time I see him I think Kelly Ann thought to herself as she watched Jack Howard make his way down the hallway of the West Wing. He was in what looked to be a new suit although the thought that nothing really fit him well anymore, he was as big as a house and lumbered as he walked.

Keep him and Chris Christie away from the kitchens and maybe sign them both up for some Paul Ryan fitness classes She mused to herself.

“Hey Jack, how’s it feel to be in the spotlight for once?!” She laughed as he approached.

Jack frowned a bit but quickly hid it with a smile. “I guess they were having a slow week so they fished around for something. A bit too easy for my liking, picking on a guy who’s worked so hard that he has a hard time making it to the gym. Are those eclairs over there?” He motioned to a table near the wall with a tray of the delectable little treats.

“Um yes but perhaps-” She frowned as he walked over and grabbed a handful.

“Perhaps we should wait a bit was what I was going to say. No chocolate on your face please, there are always photographers lurking.” She said. That’s just what we would need, another story about this fat ass who can’t stop stuffing his damned chocolate covered face and he’s one of the President’s biggest advisors...did I just think biggest? Wow I am on a roll!

Kelly Anne had heard stories about Jack Howard’s appetite, he was a legend in the GOP’s inner circles. Late night meetings that would go on for hours, him manuevering around a white board, polishing off a boxes of fried chicken, pizza and washing them down with a few cold ones. Exhausted employees going home or to a hotel room for a few hours of sleep while Jack was calling up more room service to the meeting room. Some people ran off stress, like Kelly Anne but one look at Jack Howard and he ate stress for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Several meals a day!

When the shoe had been on the other foot and it was her turn to vett him for his new role to the President, she had been astonished to discover that he was a college football player, not even a lineman! His photos going back 10-15 years showed a much different Jack, although his eyes always displayed the same intensity that made him such a shrewd puppet master. Jack Howard, the collegiate athlete must have weighed a good 150lbs less. Social media snooping showed a chiseled figure, going to spring breaks and friends pools.

As the years went on, there were less and less shirtless pics and more and more of a belly developing. He had put on weight and fast. Sure she had seen that before, politics was a tough business to be in, he was far from the only guy who physically changed but the weird thing was he seemed to own it. He owned the big appetite, the big wide body and the presence he brought to a room. And boy was he good at politicking!

It was Jack’s overall strategy that had won the day for the GOP. It was him knowing the public, knowing their fears and jealousies, their willingness to go for someone who was an outsider and their misgivings about liberals. Oh and one more thing he did that no one else had the courage to do, he unleashed the Donald…

Even Kelly Anne had to admire that. Sure she thought he looked like a fat slob, but damn he knew the business and played the American public like a fiddle. “Some men are born great, others are born in Ohio.” She said softly to herself.

“What was that?” He said turning.

“Oh nothing Jack, leave the eclairs, they will be there when you come back. I need to brief you on what the President needs.” She said as the took him down another hallway and into her office.

The meeting had been needed but contentious, much like lots of things in this new administration. Jack wanted a more comprehensive health care plan, a stronger budget proposal and more less cutting of Federal nonmilitary programs.

Kelly Anne had turned down all of them and not because they were not good ideas but because they were a losing battle with the President. Jack’s strategy had won out but Frankenstein had created a monster with a monster ego and that monster had put in place several others like him. Jack Howard was losing his grip on the situation and she did not need to look at his continued weight gain to know he was stressed about it.

“He can’t cut the Great Lakes budget that much! He has 35 million people in Great Lakes states that voted for him!” He said as his face reddened.

“Sacrifices have to be made, the lakes have been there for thousands of years, they will last through this budget.” She said cooly.

“I’m not sure the people will see it that way. What about funneling some money from the defense spending?” He inquired.

“Ha I don’t think so, with all this Russia crap and North Korea making noise, the President feels like it would be a show of weakness. Face it Jack, the Great Lakes stuff will have to be picked up by the states.”

“States that can barely afford it! Ohio alone has a massive problem on its hands, especially if you cut medicaid like your healthcare plan shows.” He replied forcefully and a bit out of breath.
Those eclairs seem to slow you down bud She laughed in her head. Watching him redden like a tomato painted a funny picture, he had to be at least 330lbs now, not much of a football player anymore.

“I love how every guy from Ohio thinks that that state is the end all be all in U. S. politics!” She said, her own tone rising. “America is more than Ohio Jack.”

“Ohio is the gauge! You need to prove it there and you need to watch there to make sure nothing changes too much.” He responded.

“Alright well that’s why we have you now, although I have to say perhaps some of this outburst is due to maybe being left out a bit too much?” She said with a faint smile.

“That’s one way to put it.” Jack said.

She did feel for him a bit there. Jack Howard, the one who had won the day, the man with the plan, the rising star was not asked to be an official part of the Trump administration. When the President’s transition team had assembled and discussed possibilities for different roles, Jack’s name had come up a lot...and was vetoed every time by the President. Why? Because monsters with egos hate Saturday Night Live.

“Could you imagine what that would look like?!” The President had said in his thick Queens accent. “Alec Baldwin next to a big beluga whale!”

Kelly Anne was sure there was more to this thinking but the President was not always tactful at displaying his thoughts through more than petty insults.

“I was around people like him, I owned Miss America, they all thought like him when he was younger, I can eat whatever, do whatever, that weight isn’t coming off anytime soon. I know people like him, all of them big like this.” He had blown up his cheeks and arched his arms out wider. “Did you see how him and his girlfriend/fiance, whatever she was, eat on that campaign! I felt like we needed a buffet for everyone else and a buffet just for them.”

She knew Trump felt threatened by Howard, he was nowhere near as smart and owed him his victory but damned if he was going to give in without kicking and screaming about it. But the boss was the boss and ever since then, Jack was losing his influence.

“Do I get to see the President today at least?” He asked resigned to the fact that this meeting had not gone well.

“As a matter of fact you do. He is expecting you in five minutes.” She replied.

Waiting five minutes made 75% of the eclairs disappear and Jack was wiping his face with a handkerchief when he was called in.

“Jack! Baby! How’s everything? Whoa buddy, I knew you were going to move on to bigger and better things but I didn’t think that meant your waistline!” The President joked as he walked over and shook his hand.

“What do you have in there? A few bowling balls?” He said has he harshly poked Jack’s stomach.

Jack brushed the hand away, a little embarrassed.

“I guess DC agrees with me as they say.” Jack said.

“How’s Annie? I hope you are keeping her away from the desserts.” He made another bad joke.

“She’s fine, actually just getting back into a normal work out routine.” Jack said defensively.

“Looks like you should join her, I’m kidding! Just a joke.”

Jack chose to ignore what looked like a developing paunch on the President. He definitely was not as fit as his Apprentice days. But millions got you several attractive wives and enough publicity to make a run for the White House.

Jack had attempted to talk turkey but found himself annoyingly deflected at every turn, before long his five minutes were up and he was ushered out with a pat on his butt. “Boy this thing’s grown too bud! Maybe I can give you to Melania’s trainer, helped her lose the baby weight quick.”

And with that Jack was left outside with just the secretaries and a long walk back to his car. He felt his stomach gurgle as he smelled someone’s lunch. Not enough eclairs today. He thought as his brain turned to any number of food spots between the White House and his office building.

Jack slammed the door as he got home. “Hey honey, it’s me.” He said breathlessly.

“Geez babe, why did you slam the door...Oh my goodness!” Anne said as she saw Jack .

Jack was fiddling with this belt buckle and attempting to suck in a stomach that looked like it had just eaten a Thanksgiving feast. On the table by him were four more bags of food that smelled like Chinese, fried chicken and burgers.

“Umm, I take it the meeting did not go well?” She asked innocently.

“It was crap, I’m losing influence. He forgets whose plan got him elected and he had the nerve to say I’ve put on more weight!” Jack snarled as he finally unbuttoned his pants and belt. His pants slid outward as his expanded stomach found more room to occupy.

“Well babe, if the shoe fits...or rather the pants don’t.” Annie teased.

His face did not look amused by her comment. Sensing his anger she moved to calm him down a bit.

“Jack...I’m sorry, I know it’s frustrating. But this is the big leagues and promises only go so far as they can keep helping an elected person in office.” She started. I keep forgetting he is still pretty young and naive sometimes.

“The President did not get to a point of electability without stepping on a few toes. Look at how many campaign people he went through and still kept his poll numbers high most of the election. We both knew there was a big risk, big reward working with him. You have to figure out how to work with his flaws and we both made sacrifices to make it all work.” She finished, resting a hand on his stomach, feeling its fullness. Anne then took his hand and placed it on her own soft stomach, an appendage that had really come to life in the past year of hard campaigning.

“I just do not know which way to go with all of this, I expected to be rewarded for my work I guess.” He grumbled.

“And you will be, things have not started off well for him and once he begins to see that his idiots cannot do the job, he will come around to the people that can. People like you.” She said confidently.

“You know how to get me thinking better hun.” He said with a smile.

“Oh I’m not finished.” She said with a sharp look.

His face betrayed his surprise at her tone. He felt her hand on his gut begin to pinch and grab a handful of belly.
“You have gained weight Jack. Not a little, not a few pounds, a lot of weight. The fact that I can tell you’ve already eaten enough for three people and still have bags full of food to eat now shows me that it’s become a normal thing, overeating. I love this…” She said as she shook his wide and round stomach. “But if you are worried about your political future, this might hold you back. Trump is very into image, why do you think I was the only woman on the campaign he didn’t hit on? Because as your body has grown so has mine.” Annie said this with a slight embarrassment. She loved Jack and his larger and heavier frame but this had to be said before they moved forward.

“Think back to when we first met, picture that old classroom. You were wearing a tight t-shirt and shorts, backpack slung over one shoulder. Your face was defined, shoulders broad with muscles but a body that was lean, springy, very athletic. What did I look like?” She asked innocently.

Jack responded with relish. “You looked smart in a business suit that fit your body perfect. Your eyes seemed to pierce right through me, you had these librarian glasses on your head and your hair was tied into a bun. You were the hot prof.”

“And what attracted you to me, besides my obviously smart brain.” She teased again but looking serious into his eyes. “Tell me about my body.”

“Your calf muscles looked like they exercised a lot. The top fit over a waist that was tiny and when you took that jacket off, your arms were slim without being too bulky.” Jack said as if in a trance.

“Okay babe, last question. If I wore that outfit now, how would I look?” She said.

His face shifted immediately as he bristled at the thought. Umm...well I think you’d still look ok?” He began.

“Bull shit Jack, that wouldn’t fit well and you know it. We are both a long way from that day, I doubt I could get that skirt on over one thigh let alone my whole ass.” She turned to the side and patted her plump butt.

“I am sorry that your meeting did not go well but babe, if you are going to win out over someone as conceited as the president, you need to face some facts starting with the point that you and I have gotten fat. In a different administration, maybe that wouldn’t matter but it very much does in this one. You saw how he thinks, you know what he is. We made our deal and we are in DC now but that doesn’t come without some consequences and more work to be done.” Annie felt like his professor again, showing him a guiding light.

“So what’s our next move?” He asked.

“Ha well, I’ve taken mine, I’ve been working out for the past week. You can always join in.” She said with a wink.

The thought of exercise in his current state was not something he liked. “Is there another thing?” He said worried at what the answer is.

“Oh Jack, don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you to lose weight unless your doctor says to but I’m in the business of making you happy and right now your career is in a bit of a predicament, losing some weight would probably make you look like you’ve got it together more and you know he responds to that, he is a very looks oriented person.” She with a slight disdain. She could not believe after years of helping her lover fatten up, she was now offering to help him lose some weight. The irony was not lost on Anne.

He looked a little dejected. Her heart went out to him but she knew he needed to hear this conversation.

“Look…” She used both hands to heft his large and full stomach and kissed him, feeling some grease on his lips. “I really do love you like this but for what you want right now, I don’t think it is the best and Trump is tired of dealing with embarrassing press clips for his own incompetence, so he’s lashed out at you. We can take care of this, we can control this.” I hope we can at least, that food smells so good!

“Alright?” She asked innocently.

“Alright...but what about the food?” Jack asked.

“Well, we can probably have one more night of fun before we get on some regimen.” She said with a grin.

“Besides, we’ll be burning calories afterwards like usual.” She laughed as she opened the Chinese. Although by the end of their feast, they were both much too full to do much of anything except go to sleep that night.

The next morning Annie woke up late. Ugh I definitely ate too much last night. She still felt bloated from the indulgence. It was Saturday and they had nowhere to be. She stood up and looked in the mirror. Jesus people will think I am preggers… Taking off her tank top, she saw how her enlarged breasts rested on her prominent belly. She had been working out but there was little evidence of it on her body yet. Anne clicked her tongue as she turned her body around. “Definitely hard to see the swimmer anymore…”

She smelled bacon wafting through the air. Uh oh Quickly putting on her tank top, she walked out to the kitchen where she found Jack making a slab of bacon, complete with fried eggs, toast and sausages. The cereal was out too.

“You know hun, I’m not sure this is the best way to start a diet.” She said as she patted his shoulder.

“What?...Oh yeah...I umm forgot. I was just hungry.” He said sheepishly.
This will take more work than I thought, he has no willpower and his mind is always on food. My own fault though. She thought, feeling slightly guilty.

“Ok well, we can have some of this but not until after we get some exercise in.” She said as she pulled him away from the stove.

“Exercise?” He asked a little fear in his voice.

“Oh Jack, look at me, there’s no way I can run you through the ringer like back in Tampa!” She opened her arms wide to show off her larger body. Hell I don’t think I could even work out as hard as he did back then judging from what my work outs feel with Sandra. She thought.

“Go change, we will get a morning work out in. It will be good for you! A bit of exercise, when was the last time you got that?” She said smiling.

Jack grumbled as he left the kitchen to go change. Annie went over to the room where her dresser was and pulled out a sports bra and some yoga pants. She noted the tightness of the bra as she got it over her swollen breasts. That was one feature she hoped would stay and she slimmed down. Her pants dug into her soft midsection but she got her shoes on thinking about how she would love to be dawning on work out clothes in a few months.

“Hey Annie!” A call came from their bedroom. “I uh...need some help.” Jack said a little desperation in his voice.

She walked to the bedroom to find her 300lbs plus lover sitting on the bed. His gut was so big it covered much of his pubic area as he sat. She wanted him so bad looking like that but she saw several pairs of basketball shorts on the ground, one half way up his legs.

“What’s wrong?” She questioned.

“Nothing fits…” He grumbled.

“Well babe! They are elastic, they stretch--” She stopped looking at his face, which had shot her a glance.

“I’ve tried that, they don’t fit.” He explained.

“What size are they?” She asked as she tried to remember the last time she saw him wearing something like that.

“Double XL.” He said flatly.

“Wow! I knew you’d gotten big but--” She stopped again because of his cold glance.
“Well let’s see what we can do, lay down flat on your back.” Annie said as she walked over.

He obeyed, his large round belly jutting into the air as he breathed. She began to pull his shorts up as if he were a 3 year old. They got to his hips and she stretched out the elastic as far as it would go and it was met with a wall of body it could not overcome. She attempted again to no luck.

“When I move it up next time, try to wiggle a bit.” She advised.

He grumbled an “ok” and she began again.

He shifted backwards and forwards as she inched the shorts up to his fat waist. Her arms began to shake with the effort of holding the shorts out wide as she noted she needed some more arm work outs because she felt weak. Finally, she shimmied them up over his big ass as he rolled to the side.

“Done! Now sit up.” She said. She watched as he struggled to sit straight up, his belly stopping him from getting too far. He tried again and again.

“Need some help babe? You look like a turtle on its shell.” She teased.

“No! I got it!” He said as he tried again, this time straining himself the most, he fell back to the bed.

“Come on, let me help, it will be a work out for me to get that body up, how much are you weighing now anyway?” She asked as she grabbed his wrists.

“Jesus!” She exclaimed as she put her body into the effort. She had not tried to help him lift up out of bed ever and she now had a tint of red in her cheeks as she worked at it.

He finally sat up again, the full weight of his stomach bearing down on his poor shorts. She heard a rip as plopped onto the ground after using her own body weight as leverage.

“Damnit!” He said as he looked down at the rip on his hips.

Annie laughed, unable to help herself.

“Well I guess it’s time for some new shorts!” She said from the ground.

“I’m not going, I can’t with shorts that don’t fit.” He said folding his arms on top of his stomach.

“Oh no, you aren’t getting out of this, this is all the more reason to do it.” Annie said quickly and got up to pull him off the bed.

Jack reluctantly let her prop him up, his belly surging forward over his waist.

Anne half grunted with the effort. “Come on Jack, if we are going to do this, I need you to buy in a little.”

Jack stood up and wavered a bit as his adjusted his balance. Being a large man, it aways took him a second for him to find his center of gravity. “Fine, store and then work out.” He said resigned to his fate.

Chapter 6

Things had started off well enough. Jack and Anne had gone to the Big and Tall store and got him several clothes that fit well, things he could wear anywhere and work out in. He even used “willpower” for the first time in years and fought the urge to get a jelly donut and danish when they walked by a Starbucks on their way to the National Mall. That’s where things took a turn as they say.

Annie’s ass and hips looked good in her leggings, she knew they did, if only she could stop the jiggle that betrayed the fact that her body had very little muscle. She quickly discovered that she was in much better shape then her partner though.

Jack’s biggest problem was in his head. Mentally, walking was simple, jogging should be too and his motor was still on athletic time. When Annie had him go through a typical warm up routine, it was quickly found that none of these movements would be simple.

He was beginning to sweat just holding the stretch poses and very out of breath after walking 500 yards to get his heart rate up.

Annie knew Jack was out of shape and obviously very big but the total lack of doing almost anything physical besides getting up from his desk and walking to the snack room was rearing its ugly head now. After ten minutes, Jack’s shirt was soaked in sweat, his belly was heaving with the deep breaths and he was taking so many breaks that Anne did not even feel like her body was doing much of anything.

“Babe, we gotta try to push through this, I know it’s hard.” She tried.

“I’m pushing! I just...can’t!” He said exasperated with short breaths. “Ugh what the hell!” He slammed his hand down on the bench.

“What?” She asked a bit worried.

“This shouldn’t be this hard!” He said dejected. “My legs are wobbling and we’ve barely done anything!

“But honey, you’re body is working pretty hard, you are drenched in sweat and I barely have any--” Ugh I shouldn’t have said that! She immediately realized the mistake.

“That’s the point!!!” He thundered. “Why am I already feeling like I ran a marathon when all we’ve done is some dumb little girl exercises and walked.” He ended out of breath again, barely able to get the words out.

It took a few more gulps of air before Jack could respond. Heavily breathing he said. “How am I going to lose weight if I can’t even get through simple work outs. Like no offense babe but these things are simple, me at 5 years old could do them no problem.” He said trying to defend his point.

“Jack, you can barely catch your breath and you are blaming the work outs for being too easy? You’ve been hanging out with the President too much.” Annie said her anger rising.

“Hey I’m not saying it’s not a good thing for you to do, I just think an athlete of my caliber needs something more.” Jack responded.

“AN ATHLETE OF YOUR CALIBER?!” Anne fumed, eyes open wide. “I don’t know what fantasy land you’re in pal but that athlete thing left you a long time ago. Hell that’s one of the things that got me so hot for you! The sports stopped and the belly started.” She rounded her hand over his heaving stomach.

“Look at that, go ahead and look!” She waited until he did so. “That’s years of beer, fast food lunches, office snacks, late night pizza, happy hours, morning donuts…” Anne poked part of his midsection to prove her point with each item she could think of.

“What happened to that 6-pack you had when we first met Jack? When you ran circles around DBs and caught touchdowns. Honey that’s been gone for years so whatever fantasy world you are living in when you are doing my ‘too easy’ work outs, we are bursting that bubble right now.” She stomped off, her ass jiggling more profoundly.

“And for the record, I got fat too during this whole process and keeping your pace barely has me sweating!” She said as she began to pick up her walking pace.

Crap, now you’ve done it. He thought to himself as he continued to catch his breath.

Anne finished her work out without the modifications that she had been giving Jack. Her body was tired, sore and she was still fuming about her boyfriend’s comments.

“The nerve of him, seriously.” she said to herself.

Sweat poured down her face and her legs were shaking a bit. She had worked out hard, almost to a respectable level from her former days, but anger had a way of motivating people to do that.

I should just feed him every night and let that appetite turn him into a blob! See if he will ever be able to work in politics when all he can think of is when the next snack time is! She thought furiously.

Anne felt slightly aroused and guilty at the thought of that. She couldn’t do that to Jack, not with so much else in the mix. Her phone buzzed, startling her.

“Hello?” She asked exhausted.

“Annie?! You ok? You sound like you ran a marathon!” Sandra’s voice said on the other line.

“Feels like I did.” Anne admitted.

“What happened?” Sandra asked. Anne heard munching.

She went into the story and before it was through, she was already catching a lyft to the lunch spot Sandra was at so that they could talk in person and hopefully over a bottle of something.

Annie knew she was not dressed for whatever spot Sandra was at and honestly in a different mood would have never agreed to meet her but she was so upset at Jack that all she wanted to do was vent and have some wine and probably eat too much.

She showed up to the restaurant in her workout clothes and found Sandra digging into a half eaten plate of full nachos. Her mouth instantly watered.

“Aw honey.” Sandra said as she saw Annie approach.

Anne explained the whole story while she ordered appetizers, a full lunch and several glasses of wine. She let the emotion out of her voice as she out-ate her work out. Sandra obliged completely, ordering more wine for herself.

Her full body dressed showed off the bulge of her full tummy more than she would have liked but for all her Macchiavellian tendencies, she did have a soft spot for a woman who was caught out in her own web. What used to be a rivalry had become some sort of pity. She had watched the former beauty eat herself out of a fit body and into one that resembled more of a soccer mom. It was a high stress life and one that Annie was on top of for so long, but Father Time is undefeated and her love of Jack clearly outweighed the rest.

Still, Sandra also viewed Anne as a cautionary tale for herself as well. Her slight weight gain was affecting her, she could tell and she felt she was at an age and a moment in her life where she was either going to put up with the effort of staying flawless, cool and collected, pulling the strings as she always wanted to, or going more Anne’s way,

Ugh I could never become so dumpy she thought as she looked at Anne’s chubby hips. Of course she was oblivious to the fact she had eaten half of Anne’s appetizers herself.

“I just proved why I will never lose this weight.” Annie said quietly, looking in horror at the empty plates.

Oh no, can’t go down this road Sandra thought.

“Annie, come on. Don’t beat yourself up right now, sounds like Jack did enough of that already. If you can’t eat when you’re upset, then you aren’t a woman.” Sandra said with a wink.

“I know I just know I didn’t do myself any favors and the workouts are as hard as ever. It just pisses me off that despite that, I’m in way better shape then Jack and he had the gall to say they were easy work outs!” She said smacking her hand on the table.

“Well, he’s still an alpha dog, he’s got that mentality. Even in the face of, I hope this won’t sound too harsh, a pretty fat body. I mean, the man ate himself into being morbidly obese, you see how he eats more than anyone and what’s worse is he dragged you with it!” Sandra exclaimed. Ooh calm down Sandra, that’s the wine talking.

Anne looked up, a bit startled. “He did, didn’t he?” She said.

“Yes, Anne I knew about you before, being a woman in this field is hard enough and if you heard how different men talked about you, you would have thought you were Miss America. But when you made that move to Cleveland, a lot of the comments changed. You were ‘porking up’ and ‘living too much of the good life.’ We made a promise to be honest to each other if I was going to get you back into shape and honestly, you let yourself go. Woman to woman, you lost your edge to a man and think of it this way, Jack lost a rival in gaining a girlfriend, a girlfriend who then lost one big chip in the game by losing her looks.” Ugh I really did have too much wine.

“It’s not about looks Sandra, I was good regardless of that--”

“Oh of course you were! You were maddeningly good at you work. But again, honesty, as a woman in this job, your looks matter and you losing your’s has made you less effective to all those assholes that work here.” Sandra finished, hoping she didn’t go too far.

“You’re right. Those assholes make it hard, I just thought Jack was different.” Anne said, now sad.

“Jack is different but he’s not perfect. And you know what sucks for those guys? We know this about them, we know they can’t help themselves and when we get you back into shape, you’re going to be able to run circles around them again. Enough living behind the man you have, come to the front again. Let’s do this!” Sandra said as she clinked her glass to Anne’s.

“Yes! Oh my God yes, let’s get my career back, show him how good he had it with me!” Anne said feeling much better.

They both staggered into an uber to go home, very full and very red-faced from the wine, the driver asked Sandra when she was due with her baby. He did not receive a tip for his trouble.

Great new enstallment! This story seems to be going in a very interesting direction: I secretly hope that Annie starts getting back in shape while Jack canít help but get bigger and bigger! Canít wait to read what happens next!

This story and these characters never fail to surprise me and delight me! This is one of the best longer stories on here (in combination with the prequel). Very well done. I wish I had the discipline and imagination to come up with something this wonderful to write. I envy your skills, and I thank you for putting them on such wonderful display!